Wael Abbas

Wael Abbas is an Egyptian journalist, blogger and human rights activist [http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/29/youtube.activist/ YouTube shuts down Egyptian anti-torture activist's account] CNN, November 29, 2007] who blogs at Misr Digital (Egyptian Awareness). [http://www.icfj.org/press/20070824.html Egyptian Blogger, Burmese Reporter Named 2007 Knight International Journalism Award Winners] . Press release, August 24, 2007] He reported an incident of mob harassment of women, and broadcast several videos of police brutality. His actions lead to the conviction of police for torture, but he has been harassed by the Egyptian government, and his accounts with YouTube and Yahoo were closed. YouTube has since restored his account and most of his videos.

Online activism

Wael reported on a mob of dozens of men molesting women down town Cairo during a religious feast on October 24, 2006, an incident ignored by the Egyptian state media. Rose el-Youssef magazine, a pro-government publication, said that the report was Abbas's "sick fantasies". [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/24325c62bf2e6037a957768ef3df9165.htm EGYPT: Sexual harassment laws weak, say activists] Reuters Alertnet (for IRIN), 09 Nov, 2006] The Ministry of Interior said that the harassment could not have happened, as it was not reported to the police.

He posted a video of a police officer binding and sodomizing an Egyptian bus driver who tried to break up a dispute between police and another driver. The video helped contribute to the conviction of two policemen on November 5, 2007. [http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=324073&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/ Egypt jails police in sodomy torture case] Mail and Guardian, November 5 2007]

Harassment by the Egyptian government

The assistant of the Egyptian interior minister for legal affairs General Ahmed Diaa said three different times that Abbas had a criminal record. [http://www.slate.com/id/2166146/pagenum/all Big Brothers: In Egypt, blogging can get you arrested—or worse] Wael Abbas, Slate, May 14, 2007] Abbas posted his record from the Egyptian police on his blog showing that he had no criminal record. [http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/arab-bloggers-pay-toll-for-truth/2007/07/30/1185647812121.html?page=2 Arab bloggers pay toll for truth] The Age, July 30, 2007.] He has also been accused of converting to Christianity and being homosexual.

Accounts shut down by YouTube and Yahoo

In September 2007, his YouTube account was shut down. All the videos he had sent to YouTube were no longer available. They included videos of police brutality, voting irregularities and anti-government protests. About 12 or 13 were of violence in police stations. [http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL27590430.html YouTube stops account of Egypt anti-torture activist] Reuters, 27 November, 2007] He was shocked by YouTube's decision.

Yahoo had shut down two of his email accounts, accusing him of being a spammer.

Human rights groups said that YouTube was shutting down a useful source of info on abuses in Egypt just as the government was increasing its crackdown on independent and opposition journalists. Twelve Egyptian journalists had been jailed between September and November 2007. Elijah Zarwan thinks that it was unlikely YouTube was reacting to official government pressure.

YouTube initially restored his account but not his videos, and said that his account was blocked because he failed to provide sufficient context about the violence. [http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0316580920071203?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews YouTube restores account of Egypt anti-torture blogger] Reuters, December 3, 2007] 187 of his videos were subsequently restored. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121601559.html?hpid=opinionsbox1 Egypt's YouTube Democrats] Washington Post editorial, December 17, 2007] Abbas has posted on his blog that Yahoo has restored his email account. [http://misrdigital.blogspirit.com/archive/2007/12/05/the-hoax-of-restoring-my-account-by-youtube.html Blog post by Wael Abbas] December 5, 2007]

Awards and Honors

Abbas was announced the winner of a journalism award by the International Center for Journalists on August 24, 2007.

Won the Human Rights Watch's Hellman/Hammett Award 2008

Was named Middle East Person of the Year 2007 by CNN

Was considered one of the Most Influential People in the year 2006 by BBC

Won the Egyptians Against Corruption Award 2005/2006

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/user/waelabbas Wael Abbas' YouTube account]
* [http://twitter.com/waelabbas Wael Abbas' Twitter account]
* [http://hub.witness.org/en/WaelAbbas Video interview with Wael Abbas]